Effect of 1,3-Butamediol and Propionic Acid on Blood Ketones, Lipids and Metal Ions in Rats

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The metabolic effects of feeding butanediol (BD) and propionate to rats are presented. The weight gain of animals fed either BD or propionate was less than controls while food efficiency was decreased only in the animals fed either propionate or BD plus propionate. BD decreased liver glycogen in fed rats and partially preserved glycogen in fasted animals. On the other hand, propionate slightly increased glycogen in the fed state but did not prevent the marked depletion of glycogen in fasting. Feeding either BD or propionate caused decrease of blood glucose, lactate and pyruvate, and decrease of adipose tissue weight. Propionate and BD plus propionate decreased triglycerides in blood and BD plus propionate increased fatty acids in blood. Although BD feeding markedly increased acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate in blood and in urine, propionate feeding decreased blood and urine ketones. Moreover, propionate plus BD gave blood ketones no different from BD alone and caused even greater urinary ketone excretion than BD alone. Thus, propionate does not alleviate BD-induced ketosis as would be expected. The changes which occurred in serum and liver cations and electrolytes are best related to excretion of strong organic acids as salts. The modification of BD effects on metabolism produced by propionate is discussed in relation to known interrelated metabolic pathways.